4 month Well Baby Visit

On October 8th, Aaron and I went to her 4 month well baby visit.  Dr. Rehan examined her whole baby body, but knew what we were really concerned about.  She measured her head again.  The circumference had increased a normal amount, but the shape had become long and narrow.  The back of her skull still had a protrusion, and it had become more prominent.  She knew it wasn't normal, but she still wasn't convinced that it was a condition called "Craniosynostosis".  And her big, chubby cheeks didn't help the situation!  Dr. Rehan kept squishing them back, trying to figure out if the narrowness of her skull was exaggerated by those cheeks!! She asked what we wanted to do about it.  Wait and see again, or go to the Craniofacial Clinic at the Children's Hospital in Omaha.  We both agreed that we wanted their opinion.  Dr. Rehan said she was glad, that she would rather us go down there and have them tell her she was concerned about nothing than to overlook anything.  She said, "they will tell me that I am wrong about the craniosyostosis, but you probably won't walk out of there without a helmet".
I waited for the clinic to call to set up an appointment, but became impatient.  I called the next week and set up an appointment with the helmet clinic.  The next Tuesday, Kris from the Crainiofacial clinic called me and said she had talked with Dr. Rehan and they both felt that Adeline needed to be seen at the Craniofacial clinic instead.  It is a group of doctors and specialists, including the helmet clinic.  She was scheduled for the next available appointment (the craniofacial clinic is available once a month, the fourth Tuesday of every month) at 2:30 on November 23.
It was a looong wait.  We examined her head daily, evaluated the 100's of pictures I took of her, and prayed and prayed and prayed that she would only need helmet therapy.  I kissed her head even more.

2 month Well Baby Visit

I took her to her 2 month well baby visit the first week of August. Dr. Rehan examined her little baby eyes and tummy and limbs and everything looked perfect.  She was pleased with her growth.  She asked me how she was doing, if I had any questions or concerns.  I happily told her that Adeline was a perfect baby - she slept through most nights already, was content while she was awake, nursed great - she was easy, especially compared to big brother Nile who had colic as an infant (I visited his pediatrician weekly!).
Her reply was one that I will never forget, "Well, that's great! But I do have a concern". She explained that she was concerned that the soft spots and sutures on Adeline's skull may be closing too soon.  She wasn't completely convinced, though, because her head was growing in size.  She felt every inch of Adeline's head.  She could feel that the soft spots were still open, but couldn't tell if the sutures were.  Her plan was to wait until her 4 month well baby visit, measure her head, and then go from there. 
She mentioned that if she still thought there was a problem she would refer us to specialists at the Children's Hospital in Omaha, where they might fit her with a helmet to reshape her head. She said that sometimes this would need surgery, but didn't think that would be necessary in Adeline's case.
So we spent the next 2 months wondering, and worrying a little.  We examined her head daily, evaluated the 100's of pictures I took of her, and prayed and prayed and prayed that it would correct itself as she grew.  I'm surprised I didn't kiss the hair off of her head!

We have (finally!!!) been blessed with our second bundle of joy!

Sweet Adeline Cecilia was born 6.1.10.  It was love at first sight.  She was perfect. 8 lbs 2 oz, 21.5 inches long (I still don't know if I believe that she was that long-I think they might have measured her wrong) The chubbiest, most kissable cheeks ever!
She nursed perfectly from the very beginning and slept well too. Big brother Nile was sooo proud (and protective) of her.  It was his baby Adeline.

I felt a bump on the back of her head right away.  I assumed that it was from delivery, or just the way her head was.  I really wasn't concerned.  A friend and coworker of mine, Jo - who was a pediatric nurse "back in the day" - visited us at home a couple of weeks after she was born.  She was holding Adeline with her hand cupping the back of her head.  I asked Jo about the bump, and she said she thought it felt a little fishy.  She suggested I call Adeline's pediatrician to ask if they might think it was a hematoma (blood clot).   I did call Dr. Rehan's office a few days later and they scheduled an appointment that afternoon.
Dr. Rehan examined Adeline's head and was certain it wasn't a hematoma. I knew her head wasn't shaped perfectly, but I was no longer worried about it.